Kite and process of making it



July 11, 1967 1 #FUER 3,330,511

KITE AND PRCESS OF MAKING 1T Original Filed May 28, 1964 /2 /t/f fi, ff

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United States Patent() 2 Claims. ((11.244-153) The present application is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 370,908, filed May 28, 1964.

This application relates to a process rand article and specifically relates to an aerial toy, such as a kite, and to la method of making the same.

Heretofore, kites have been made by laying a cut-toshape paper on a jig, applying an yadhesive to the edges, laying `a string adjacent to the edges, tying the ends of the string, and folding over the adhesive covered body -to seal the string therein.

'I'his procedure has several objectionable features, one of which is the time it takes to knot the string. Another undesirable .aspect of this procedure is that the adhesive is slow drying and tends to soak through and discolor the body of -the kite and requires that the kites be individually dried, since the adhesive which has soaked through or has reached the edges of the kite tends to cause adjacent kites to stick to one another when the kites are stacked prior to drying.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a kite .and method of making same which eliminates all of the foregoing objectionable characteristics and which results in a simple efficient method of makingkites and in a neat appearance in the final object.

Another principal object of the present invention is to provide a method of reinforcing and securing together the turned over marginal edges of a thin flexible film by means of a heat scalable adhesive impregnated cord positioned between and adhered to the edges.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention comprises a thin flexible body having reinforced edges and specifically comprises a kite having a heat scalable adhesive impregnated cord positioned around the edges and exposed at the corners with the cord securing the folded over edges of the kite in assembled relation. The present invention also comprises the process of making a kite hereinafter described and claimed.

-In the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts wherever they occur,

FIG. l is a fragmentary diagrammatic representation of a method of impregnating kite string with .a heat sealable adhesive,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a thin exible body positioned on a jig,

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged sectional View taken along -line 3--3 of FIG. l showing the adhesive impregnated kite string,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 showing the adhesive impregnated string positioned around the corner posts of the jig adjacent to the edges of the thin flexible body with the body being shown in broken lines,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the jig showing a finished kite positioned thereon,

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the kite removed from the jig,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a plurality of kites formed with an uninterrupted continuous cord, and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6` of Ia fabric body having the marginal edges turned over and sealed together by a heat sealable adhesive impregnated cord.

In preparing a heat scalable adhesive impregnated cord string, .a spool of cord 10 is run through a conventional extruding die 11 which coats and/or impregnates the cord 12 with ya suitable heat sealable adhesive 13 such as polyethylene. This cools almost immediately and the finished cord 21 is Wound onto a second spool 14 for storage. The equipment used in coating the cord can be purchased commercially, and forms no part of the present invention.

While the present invention can be practiced by hand, preferably a jig 15 is used. The jig 15 has corner posts 1'6 and hinged wings 17 provided with heating elements (not shown) therein. The wings 17 are adapted to be folded over along the hinge line 18 to lie Iadjacent to the top surface of the jig 15 to assemble the kite.

FIG. 2 shows a thin flexible body 19, having arcuate cutouts 20 at the corners, positioned on the jig 15 with the posts 16 'being positioned at the kite body cutout corners 20. In making the kite, the cord 21 having the heat sealable coating 13 applied thereto is positioned around the posts 16 on top of the kite body blank 19 (FIG. 4). The kite body blank `19 is indicated by broken lines in FIG. 4. The cord 21 may be cut, or may be uninterrupted and used for forming the neXt kite as shown in FIG. 7. Prior to shipping, the kite cords 21 then [are cut to separate the kites 22.

In fabricating the kites 22, the cord 21 need not be tied, but is laid on the kite body fabric 19 adjacent to the posts 16. The cord may be tied, if desired, but this is not necessary. In the next step, the edges of the kite body 19 are folded over the cord 18 to form flaps 19a overlying the cord 21 and the kite body 19. This may be done by pivoting the hinged wings 17 on the jig 15 or may be done by hand. The jig wings 17 are heated Iand the heat causes the adhesive 13 on the cord 12 to become softened and to secure the flap 19a to the body 19 and is itself secured to both the body 19 and the flap 19a. The wings 17 then are opened and the kite 22 is finished, save for positioning the usual sticks in the string loops 23 which are exposed at the corners of the kite. This normally is not done until the kite is assembled by the ultimate user. The sticks are wrapped in the kite and sold as a complete package.

If the kite is made by hand, a hot iron or other heated object is applied to the folded over flap 19a to seal the ilap 19a to the cord 21 and to the kite body 19. Thus it is seen that the cord 21 secures itself to the kite fabric 19 and also secures the turned over flap 19a to the body 19.

The present invention allows a plurality of kites to be built up on a single jig 15 without the possibility that the kites will stick together. It also eliminates the necessity for tying the cord on each kite, and the necessity for removing each kite individually from the jig :after the kite has been formed, and eliminates the time necessary for drying the usual adhesive used in kite making, since a heat scalable adhesive which dries almost instantaneously is used.

FIG. 8 shows a cross sectional view of a fabric body 25 having an inturned outer margin 26 with Ia cord 12 having a heat sealable adhesive coating 13 positioned between the fabric body 25 .and the flap 26 to lreinforce the edge of the fabric body 25 and to secure the body 25 to the margin 26. This broad aspect of the invention can be used in making hems on clothes, pants cuffs, etc.

Thus it is seen that the present invention achieves all of the objects and advantages sought therefor.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute ldepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

3 What I claim is: 1. A method of making a plurality of stacked kites including the steps of (a) positioning a polygonal shaped thin flexible kite body having cutouts at the corners, on a jig having posts receiving the cutout corners,

(b) positioning a cord having a coating of heat sealable adhesive about the posts on the exible body Within the marginal edges thereof,

(c) turning over the marginal edges to enclose the cord except for those portions at the cutout corners,

(d) Iapplying heat to the cord to seal the turned over margin and the body to the cord,

(e) positioning ya second kite body on the rst kite body in coinciding relation,

(f) positioning the cord about the posts and on the second kite body within the marginal edges thereof,

(g) turning over the marginal edges and heat sealing the -cord to the second kite body without severing the cord, and

(h) repea-ting the foregoing steps to produce a stack of kite bodies connected together by a continuous cord.

2. A stack of kites comprising (a) a plurality of thin exible kite `bodies having arcuate cutouts at the corners, the bodies being positioned adjacent to one another,

(b) a continuous cord positioned around the margins ofthe bodies and protruding through the cutout areas and connecting the kites bodies together, and

(c) a heat scalable adhesive positioned on the cord with (d) the marginal edges of the bodies being positioned over the cord and the cord being sealingly engaged to the bodies and to the turned over margins,

(e) the cord being untied throughout its length and being severable the kites to separate the kites.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,337,403 4/1920 Holtvoigt 244-153 2,565,365 8/1951 Gould 244-153 2,669,403 2/1954 Milligan 244-153 X 3,116,902 1/1964 Gould 244-153 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, FERGUS S. MIDDLE- TON, Examiners.

25 P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A PLURALITY OF STACKED KITES INCLUDING THE STEPS OF (A) POSITIONING A POLYGONAL SHAPED THIN FLEXIBLE KITE BODY HAVING CUTOUTS AT THE CORNERS, ON A JIG HAVING POSTS RECEIVING THE CUTOUT CORNERS, (B) POSITIONING A CORD HAVING A COATING OF HEAT SEALABLE ADHESIVE ABOUT THE POSTS ON THE FLEXIBLE BODY WITHIN THE MARGINAL EDGES THEREOF, (C) TURNING OVER THE MARGINAL EDGES TO ENCLOSE THE CORD EXCEPT FOR THOSE PORTIONS AT THE CUTOUT CORNERS, (D) APPLYING HEAT TO THE CORD TO SEAL THE TURNED OVER MARGIN AND THE BODY TO THE CORD, (E) POSITIONING A SECOND KITE BODY ON THE FIRST KITE BOY IN COINCIDING RELATION, (F) POSITIONING THE CORD ABOUT THE POSTS AND ON THE SECOND KITE BODY WITHIN THE MARGINAL EDGES THEREOF, (G) TURNING OVER THE MARGINAL EDGES AND HEAT SEALING THE CORD TO THE SECOND KITE BODY WITHOUT SEVERING THE CORD, AND (H) REPEATING THE FOREGOING STEPS TO PRODUCE A STACK OF KITE BODIES CONNECTED TOGETHER BY A CONTINUOUS CORD. 